The best of the web on your desktop

Wintry weather during an English summer of cricket

Meteorological phenomena have always been a major discussion point in the English cricketing tradition

Meteorological phenomena have always been a major discussion point in the English cricketing tradition. This year, the first class season commences in the last week of March. Harry Pearson in the Guardian looks down memory lane to write about the anecdotal mileage of extreme weather conditions.

When Lloyd's international team-mate, fast bowler Andy Roberts arrived to play for Haslingden in the spring of 1981 snowflakes as big and fluffy as poodle pups were swirling around Bentgate. The air was so thick with them you couldn't see the sightscreens from the clubhouse window. A field that had once echoed with wild applause for the strokeplay of George Headley, the strangulated appeals of DK Lillee and the merry strains of Burnley's legendary Australian all-rounder Cec Pepper clonking a callow local medium-pacer for six and then yelling to the home side's captain: "Oi, skipper. Keep this twat on, will you? I like him," were cloaked in slumberous silence.